EXAMINATION OF THE STROBILES OP THE HOP. 65 
By the aid of these processes which have been put into 
practice by Messrs. Orfila and Lesueur, it has been frequently 
possible to discover the presence of very small quantities of 
acetate of morphia in the stomach and digestive canal of 
men and animals several months after death. 
M. Orfila publicly declared, that he could discover in one 
pint of liquid, by exact analysis, half a grain of acetate of mor- 
phia. 
ART. XIV. — CHEMICAL EXAMINATION OF THE STROBILES 
OF THE HOP, (HUMULUS LUPULUS.) By T. G. Leroy. 
{Read before the Society of Medical and Natural Sciences of Brussels.) 
The hop is an indigenous plant, which, for a long period 
of time, has constituted one of the most important branches of 
agriculture and commerce in Flanders ; it is from this country 
even that it was taken to England, about the year 1524, in the 
reign of Henry VIII. It was then cultivated with success in 
the counties of Kent, Essex, and Surrey, and finally extended 
to the southern and western parts of the kingdom. Within 
the last century, this culture has obtained so much success, 
that it is not only sufficient for the supply of England, Scot- 
land and Ireland, but a large amount of hops are exported to fo- 
reign countries. 
This plant occupies a distinguished place among those most 
useful to man. The rigors of winter are not felt by it, the 
stalks have scarcely commenced to grow before the young 
shoots afford subsistence among the earliest of the season, pre- 
pared and eaten as asparagus. These shoots are agreeable to 
the taste, but leave a light degree of acridity upon the palate ; 
this acridity is due to a principle which I shall indicate di- 
rectly. 
Most persons who eat the young shoots of the hop, are not 
incommoded by this acridity, yet I am acquainted with one, 
vol. vn. — no. i. 9 
